Health Alert
U.S. Embassy Paris, France
October 29, 2020

Location: France

Event: Reimposition of nationwide lockdown (confinement) in France.

Main points:

• United States citizens may depart France and return to the United States as always.
  
  
• Consular staff will always be available to replace expired, lost, or stolen United States passports.

France has confirmed cases of COIVID-19 throughout the country. France is currently at a Level 3 travel alert, and U.S. citizens are urged to reconsider travel to France due to COVID-19.

Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2020, France will reimpose a confinement and return to a lockdown state to minimize contact and travel, through at least December 1, 2020. In general, travel outside the home should be avoided, but is permitted in the following cases:

• Between home and work when telework is not possible;
  
  
• To make essential purchases in authorized local shops;
  
  
• For health reasons;
  
  
• To care for children or help vulnerable people or visit elderly people in nursing homes;
  
  
• To take children to and from school;
  
  
• Travel to the airport; or
  
  
• Brief movements near or around one’s residence for individual exercise or pet care.

If you must travel for one of these reasons, you must carry an attestation (the form with an English translation will be available on our U.S. Embassy COVID-19 webpage once it is released by the French government).

Schools at the lycee (high school) level and below will continue to be open. In addition, President Macron announced on October 29 that public services will also continue; further information about how this will affect travel restrictions is expected the evening of October 30.

President Macron also announced a ban on inter-region travel beginning on October 30, although he stated limited exceptions will be in place for people returning from Toussaint holiday travel. More details are expected this evening.

Bars, restaurants, and non-essential commerce will close or remain closed. Grocery stores, pharmacies, and banks remain open. U.S. citizens in France should be prepared for additional restrictive measures to be put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Public transportation including airlines, trains, and buses continue to operate.

As during the prior confinement, U.S. citizens will be able to fly back to the United States. Commercial flights remain available. U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) are exempt from the Presidential Proclamation barring travel and can continue to return to the United States with their U.S. passport. Spouses and minor (under 21) children of U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents are also exempt and may continue to travel to the United States with evidence of their relationship to the U.S. citizen or LPR.

As a public service provider, at this time the U.S. Embassy in Paris will continue to offer limited services to U.S. citizens, as well as emergency services, as will the Consulate General in Strasbourg. At this time, only emergency American Citizen Services are available at the Consulate General in Marseille.

Broad restrictions on non-essential travel from many countries outside France, including the United States, remain in place. The CDC advises travelers to avoid nonessential travel to France and State Department currently recommends U.S. citizens reconsider travel. See CDC information regarding high-risk traveler categories.

The Embassy’s Consular Section is determining the effect this will have on its operations. Please check our website for the latest information on our services. Regardless, Consular staff will always be available to provide emergency passports to United States citizens whose passports are expired, lost or stolen, and respond to other emergencies.

Actions to Take:

• Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information on the disease.
  
  
• Dial 15 for emergency services in France if you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing. Do not go directly to an emergency department, doctor’s office, or clinic.
  
  
• Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in France.
  
  
• For information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
  
  
• Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information regarding foreign countries’ quarantine requirements and other global impacts.
  
  
• Have a plan to depart from France that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.
  
  
• Check with your airlines or cruise lines regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
  
  
• Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions affecting travel to the U.S.
  
  
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

Assistance:

U.S. Embassy Paris, France
+33 (1) 43 12 22 22
CitizenInfo@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Marseille, France (if event occurs in Marseille CD)
+33 (1) 43 12 22 22
CitizenInfoMarseille@state.gov

State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

France Country Specific Information

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates